Published on CHCOC (https://www.chcoc.

gov)
Home > Agency Reporting Requirements to OPM for Fiscal Year 2019 Taxpayer-Funded Union Time Use

Agency Reporting Requirements to OPM for

Fiscal Year 2019 Taxpayer-Funded Union Time
Use

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

MEMORANDUM FOR:
HEADS OF EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES
From: DALE CABANISS, DIRECTOR
Subject:
Agency Reporting Requirements to OPM for Fiscal Year 2019 Taxpayer-
Funded Union Time Use

Introduction

The President’s Management Agenda seeks to modernize the Federal Government

in key areas that will improve the ability of agencies to deliver mission outcomes,
provide excellent service, and effectively steward taxpayer dollars. In support of
this objective, Executive Order (EO) 13837 - Ensuring Transparency,
Accountability, and Efficiency in Taxpayer-Funded Union Time Use, signed by
the President on May 25, 2018, requires agencies subject to the Federal Service
Labor-Management Relations Statute* (the Statute) to administer the Statute in a
manner consistent with the requirements of an effective and efficient government,
and consistent with this objective, to authorize taxpayer-funded union time** only
in amounts that are reasonable, necessary, and in the public interest and to monitor
its use to see that it is used efficiently.
Agency Reporting Requirements

On July 5, 2018, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) issued

guidance for implementation of EO 13837. This guidance included information on
the requirements for agencies to report taxpayer-funded union time usage via an
annual report to OPM.

Per Section 6 of the EO, agencies are required to submit the following taxpayer-
funded union time information:
1. The purposes for which the agency has authorized the use of
taxpayer-funded union time:
a. Term Negotiations
b. Mid-Term Negotiations
c. Dispute Resolution
d. General Labor-Management Relations
2. The amounts of time used for each purpose of taxpayer-funded
union time;
3. The job title (as listed on position description) and total
compensation (cost of salary and benefits) of each employee who has
used taxpayer-funded union time in the fiscal year;
4. The total number of hours each employee spent on taxpayer-funded
union time and the proportion of each employee’s total paid hours that
number represents;
5. The total value of the free or discounted use of government property
for labor organizations or individuals on taxpayer-funded union time;
6. Any expenses the agency paid for activities conducted on taxpayer-
funded union time;
7. The amount of any reimbursement paid by the labor organizations
for the use of government property;
8. The identification of instances where taxpayer-funded union time
exceeds an average of 1 hour per bargaining unit employee; and
9. If an agency’s aggregate union time rate (i.e., the average of the
union time rates in each agency bargaining unit, weighted by the
number of employees in each unit) has increased overall from the last
reporting year (FY 2016), the agency shall explain this increase.

If an agency’s aggregate union time rate (i.e., the average of the union time rates
in each agency bargaining unit, weighted by the number of employees in each
unit) has increased overall from the last reporting year (FY 2016), the agency
shall explain this increase.

Tracking

Section 5(c) of EO 13837 also requires agencies to develop and implement a

system to monitor the use of taxpayer-funded union time to ensure that it is used
only for authorized purposes. If your agency does not have a monitoring system,
please begin the process of implementation.

Data Submission

The standardized form for the agency submission of the annual report will be sent
separately to agency representatives with this memorandum. The fiscal year 2019
report covers October 1, 2018 through September 30, 2019 and the form must be
submitted electronically to awr@opm.gov. The submission deadline is no later
than January 31, 2020. One consolidated report is required from each department
or agency head.

OPM will analyze agency submissions and prepare a detailed report as outlined in
the EO, to be published by June 30, 2020.

Please refer to the EO for complete details on these reporting requirements for
agencies.

Questions
Agency headquarters-level human resources offices may contact OPM’s
Accountability and Workforce Relations office at awr@opm.gov or (202) 606-
2930. Other agency employees should contact their agency human resources
offices for assistance.

Attachment: Executive Order 13837

cc: Chief Human Capital Officers (CHCOs), Deputy CHCOs, and Human
Resources Directors

*Chapter 71 of title 5, United States Code.

**Section 2(i) of the EO defines “taxpayer-funded union time” as official time

granted to an employee pursuant to section 7131 of title 5, United States Code.